Buddy Junction — Discover Buddies, Join Activities & Connect Locally

The fine print

Privacy & terms, plain-spoken.

Required reading for the App Store and Play Store — but also worth knowing if you care how we handle your data.

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 20, 2025 | Last Updated: April 21, 2025

Buddy Junction ("we", "us", "our") operates the Buddy Junction mobile application and related services ("Platform"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal data, and your rights under applicable laws including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (India).

1. Consent

By creating an account or using the Platform, you:

Consent to the collection and processing of your personal data as described in this Policy.
Consent to receive transactional communications necessary for service delivery.

You may withdraw consent at any time as described below.

2. Information We Collect

a. Profile Information

Name, age, gender
Profile photo, bio
Interests, buddy preferences

b. Contact Information

Email address (mandatory)
Phone number (optional, for recovery/security)

c. Location Data

Approximate GPS location (for discovery features)
Manually entered location (optional alternative)

d. Usage Data

Activities joined, bookings, connections
Messages exchanged (subject to moderation/safety systems)
Device and interaction data (log data, analytics)

e. Payment & Financial Data

Payments processed via Razorpay or other regulated payment gateways.
Card data is tokenised and not stored by us.
UPI IDs and PAN (for hosts, where legally required) are securely stored.
PAN collected only where required for tax compliance (e.g., TDS).

3. Purpose of Processing

We process your data for:

Providing matchmaking and activity discovery services.
Facilitating bookings, payments, and payouts.
Customer support and service communications.
Fraud prevention, abuse detection, and safety enforcement.
Compliance with legal obligations (including tax and regulatory requirements).
Improving product functionality and user experience.

We do not use personal data for purposes unrelated to the Platform without consent.

4. Email & Communication Policy

We follow strict communication standards aligned with Amazon SES and anti-spam regulations.

4.1 Transactional Communications

You will receive essential service-related messages, including:

Account verification (OTP/email)
Booking confirmations and updates
Payment receipts and invoices
Security alerts

These cannot be unsubscribed from as they are required to provide the service.

4.2 Anti-Spam Commitment

We:

Do not send unsolicited bulk emails.
Do not purchase or use third-party email lists.
Maintain suppression lists (unsubscribe, bounce, complaint).
Monitor SES metrics (bounce rate, complaint rate).

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell or rent your personal data.

We share data only with:

a. Service Providers

Payment processors (e.g., Razorpay)
Cloud hosting, analytics, communication providers
Customer support tools

b. Legal Authorities

When required under Indian law or valid legal process.

c. Business Transfers

In case of merger, acquisition, or restructuring (with safeguards).

All third parties are bound by data protection and confidentiality obligations.

6. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Your data may be processed outside India by trusted service providers. We ensure such transfers comply with applicable Indian data protection laws and include appropriate safeguards.

7. Data Retention

We retain data only as long as necessary:

Account data: until deletion request.
Financial/tax data: as required under law.
Logs/analytics: limited retention period.

Upon deletion:

Data is erased or anonymised.
Exceptions apply where legal retention is required.

8. Your Rights (Under DPDP Act)

You have the right to:

Access your personal data.
Correct or update inaccurate data.
Erase data (subject to legal retention).
Withdraw consent.
Grievance redressal.

Requests can be made via the contact details below.

9. Grievance Officer (India Requirement)

As per Indian law:

Grievance Officer: Buddy Junction
Email: support@buddyjunction.com
Response Time: within 3 working days

10. Data Security

We implement:

Encryption of sensitive data.
Secure APIs and access controls.
Periodic security monitoring.

However, no system is completely secure.

11. Children's Privacy

The Platform is strictly for users aged 18+. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. Accounts found violating this will be removed.

12. Account Controls

You can:

Edit profile anytime.
Deactivate account.
Delete account permanently via Settings > Delete Account.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically. Material changes will be notified via email and in-app notification.

14. Contact Us

support@buddyjunction.com
Response within 3 working days.

Terms of Service

Effective Date: April 20, 2025 | Last Updated: April 21, 2025

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Buddy Junction mobile application and related services ("Platform"). By creating an account or using the Platform, you agree to these Terms.

1. Eligibility

You must be 18 years or older.
You must be legally capable of entering into a binding contract under Indian law.
You must not be barred from using such services.

2. Nature of Services

Buddy Junction operates as a primary service provider offering access to social and activity-based experiences.

Users contract directly with Buddy Junction.
Activities may be delivered through independent third-party hosts ("Service Partners").
Buddy Junction is responsible for overall service facilitation, customer interface, and payments.

3. Account Registration & Responsibility

You agree to:

Provide accurate and updated information.
Maintain confidentiality of login credentials.
Be responsible for all activity under your account.

We may:

Verify identity (KYC) where required.
Suspend accounts for false or misleading information.

4. User Safety & Conduct

You acknowledge:

Some interactions may occur offline.
You participate at your own risk.

You agree to:

Follow safety practices (e.g., meeting in public places initially).
Respect other users.

Buddy Junction does not guarantee the conduct of other users.

5. Acceptable Use Policy

You must not:

Harass, threaten, stalk, or harm others.
Impersonate any individual or entity.
Share sexually explicit, hate speech, discriminatory, violent, or illegal content.
Engage in fraud, scams, or misleading conduct.
Use the Platform for unauthorised commercial purposes.
Reverse engineer, scrape data, or bypass security systems.

Violation may lead to immediate suspension or termination.

6. User Content

You retain ownership of your content.
You grant Buddy Junction a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, display, and distribute content for operating the Platform.

We may remove content violating these Terms or applicable laws.

7. Communications & Anti-Spam

7.1 Transactional Communications

By using the Platform, you consent to receive:

Account verification (OTP/email)
Booking confirmations
Payment receipts
Security alerts

These are essential and cannot be opted out of.

7.2 Anti-Spam Commitment

We:

Do not send unsolicited bulk messages.
Do not use purchased or scraped contact data.
Maintain suppression lists (unsubscribe/bounce/complaint).

8. Payments, GST, Payouts & Taxes

8.1 Role as Principal Supplier

Buddy Junction acts as the supplier of services to users. All bookings are made with Buddy Junction. Hosts act as independent service providers to Buddy Junction.

8.2 Pricing

Prices displayed are payable to Buddy Junction and may include service fees, activity fees, and applicable taxes.

8.3 GST

Buddy Junction will charge GST on the full booking value and issue a GST-compliant invoice to users, following applicable service classification and place of supply rules.

8.4 Host Payments

Hosts are engaged as independent contractors. Buddy Junction pays hosts a service fee/revenue share.

8.5 Host Tax Obligations

Hosts agree they may be required to:

Register under GST (if applicable).
Issue invoice to Buddy Junction.
They are responsible for income tax filings and GST compliance on services provided to Buddy Junction.

8.6 TDS (Income Tax Compliance)

Buddy Junction may deduct TDS on payments to hosts under applicable law, including Section 194C / 194J (depending on classification).

8.7 Payments Processing

Payments are processed via regulated payment gateways (e.g., Razorpay). Users agree to payment partner terms.

8.8 Refunds & Cancellations

If an activity is cancelled, refunds are issued as per policy to the original payment method. GST adjustments are handled via credit notes.

8.9 Invoicing

Buddy Junction issues invoices to users (full value + GST).
Credit notes issued where applicable.
Hosts invoice Buddy Junction, not users.

9. Account Suspension & Termination

We may suspend or terminate accounts for:

Violation of Terms.
Fraud or illegal activity.
Risk to platform or users.

Users may delete accounts subject to pending transactions and legal retention obligations. Payouts handled as per applicable law.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by law:

Buddy Junction is not liable for user conduct or indirect / consequential damages.
Services are provided "as is" without warranties.

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify Buddy Junction against claims arising from your actions, violation of these Terms, or breach of applicable laws.

12. Data Protection

Your data is processed as per our .

13. Grievance Redressal (India Compliance)

Grievance Officer: Buddy Junction
Email: support@buddyjunction.com
Response time: within 3 working days

14. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

Governed by laws of India.
Courts of Mumbai, Maharashtra shall have jurisdiction.

15. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms periodically. Material changes will be notified via email and in-app notification. Continued use implies acceptance.

16. Contact

support@buddyjunction.com

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